BMX!

[Maggot Brain]

I know there is a lot of old farts here who grew up in the 70s and into the 80s. I was curious if any of you guys were into BMX back in the day?

I grew up in the 90s and had a pretty nice GT Mach One BMX racing bike. I always wanted to get into the real sport of racing even tho at that time everyone was into the Xgames variety of "BMX". This all comes about as I got my 3 year old son his first bike for his 3rd birthday. He lost interest after a week or so and into the garage it went. He has recently become obsessed with motorcycles, mostly motocross and it donned on me to show him Bicycle motocross, which he could relate too better with his pint sized "BMX". He has taken to it and has become obsessed with ridding every day so I decided I'd pick myself up a BMX to ride along and for nostalgia. I grabbed myself a clean '96 Redline Rl480, a chromoly beast from my childhood and find myself taken back to my childhood.

I found riding a bike is very much like riding a bike and finding myself remembering some of the skills I practiced as a child. I am actually super pumped about cycling in general and all the variants of cycles and applications. I have opened a can of worms as I'm already gassing for a variety of bikes.

Anyways I always dug the old-school guys that raced "true" BMX back in the 70s and 80s. I never got into street (freestyle) or flatland variants of BMX and rarely met anyone that knew the true origin of the sport. I've spoke to a few younger guys and it seems as tho the majority have no clue of the true origin of the bikes and the sport they were initially intended.

If your just into cycling too feel free to contribute to the thread. I have a 24" BMX "cruiser" next on my list and then maybe a decent roadbike.

 

[anitoli]

These and skateboards were super hot in the 70's:

 

[Vinsanitizer]

These and skateboards were super hot in the 70's:

I had that exact bike when they first came out. It had a plastic plate on the front of the handlebars with a number on it. It was for one of my birthdays, and my parent's snuck it up into my bedroom the night before when I was sleeping so I'd see it when I woke up.

.

 

[GregM]

I always wanted a diamondback as a kid ( I think that was the name)
A mate used to live across the road from a track, never competed but I used to thrash around on that track after school alot.
Great fun

 

[GregM]

 

[paul-e-mann]

We built our bmx bikes from scraps we salvaged out of the neighborhood trash.

 

[DreamerDeceiver]

These and skateboards were super hot in the 70's:

The HTR was my first 2 wheeler ..Baby blue . I think the number plate was 54........maybe?
Had the HPT with the yellow honeycomb wheels too

I had a supergoose with the blue anodized bulldog neck and rims /hubs. Way back as an early teen.

The GT plastic skateboards ! I had a green one , just loosen the trucks and they handled like a dream

 

[DreamerDeceiver]

These and skateboards were super hot in the 70's:

Im all nostalgic now

 

[ricksdisconnected]

These and skateboards were super hot in the 70's:

remember these all to well.

these were the cats ass as well. i'll bet Alvis had one of these too.

 

[ricksdisconnected]

I know there is a lot of old farts here who grew up in the 70s and into the 80s. I was curious if any of you guys were into BMX back in the day?

I grew up in the 90s and had a pretty nice GT Mach One BMX racing bike. I always wanted to get into the real sport of racing even tho at that time everyone was into the Xgames variety of "BMX". This all comes about as I got my 3 year old son his first bike for his 3rd birthday. He lost interest after a week or so and into the garage it went. He has recently become obsessed with motorcycles, mostly motocross and it donned on me to show him Bicycle motocross, which he could relate too better with his pint sized "BMX". He has taken to it and has become obsessed with ridding every day so I decided I'd pick myself up a BMX to ride along and for nostalgia. I grabbed myself a clean '96 Redline Rl480, a chromoly beast from my childhood and find myself taken back to my childhood.

I found riding a bike is very much like riding a bike and finding myself remembering some of the skills I practiced as a child. I am actually super pumped about cycling in general and all the variants of cycles and applications. I have opened a can of worms as I'm already gassing for a variety of bikes.

Anyways I always dug the old-school guys that raced "true" BMX back in the 70s and 80s. I never got into street (freestyle) or flatland variants of BMX and rarely met anyone that knew the true origin of the sport. I've spoke to a few younger guys and it seems as tho the majority have no clue of the true origin of the bikes and the sport they were initially intended.

If your just into cycling too feel free to contribute to the thread. I have a 24" BMX "cruiser" next on my list and then maybe a decent roadbike.

redline was the deal. Trashcan Morgan was the real deal too. he rode for Kuwahara. Stu Thompson was a rad ass too.
so wheres the bike pic at?

 

[Sapient]

I got into it in the '80s but the bikes have always had an appeal to me. Not for riding, but for show? I dunno, just have a few of the ones I always wanted though I don't really see them too often.

Skyway TA

SE Racing PK Ripper

Hutch Hollywood

Redline Team Proline

 

[DreamerDeceiver]

remember these all to well.

these were the cats ass as well. i'll bet Alvis had one of these too.

I had this bike later on , with the fat squared off slick rear tire. I always thought it was a five speed ,and called a Scrambler.
Awesome

 

[DreamerDeceiver]

I got into it in the '80s but the bikes have always had an appeal to me. Not for riding, but for show? I dunno, just have a few of the ones I always wanted though I don't really see them too often.

Skyway TA

SE Racing PK Ripper

Hutch Hollywood

Redline Team Proline

Nice rides.
Those were big $$$ back in the day, and man they weighed nothing.

 

[BlueX]

BMX were not around when I grew up, so we had regular bikes. They were almost consumables the way we rode them on dirt roads and in the terrain on the countryside. My father was really angry with us many times, but since he was no better when he grew up he wasn't too harsh.

At the age of 10 or 11, in the early 70-ies, I had this "beautiful" bike. The three-speed gear shifter on the upper frame tube is a bad idea, but I thought the bike was really cool (don't remember if I was Peter Fonda or Dennis Hopper).

 

[SmokeyDopey]

My older sister had a girly bike, with a basket in front with a flower on it. I had my own bike, but my sister's bike for some reason was great for skidding.
I remember I ended up blowing the back tire from skidding.

 

[GregM]

My older sister had a girly bike, with a basket in front with a flower on it. I had my own bike, but my sister's bike for some reason was great for skidding.
I remember I ended up blowing the back tire from skidding.

Back pedal brakes!
God bless those things.

 

[Sapient]

Nice rides.
Those were big $$$ back in the day, and man they weighed nothing.

They are expensive still now. The industry didn't hesitate to being the prices into adult ranges+. That Skyway was about $2500.00 for me to build. The PK I've seen for 4K now and the grips alone are worth about $500.

I sold a set of black Oakley's grips for $450 just a few years ago. My bikes are reissues, but if you get into OG's I just saw a NOS Skyway TA (in the box) go for 3K.

There are no price breaks in BMX as the prices continue to soar. You can buy a nice new car for the price of some OG bikes. I think it was a Hutch I saw for 25K.

 

[mickeydg5]

I had a Schwinn SX2000 with Tange TX1200W forks, heavy spoke rims with rear hub brake and front dual pivot caliper rim brake, light high bars, alloy-alum seat post, alloy 4-bolt goose neck and black fixings. It was black and chrome.
I have no pictures and finally parted with it 15 years ago.

 

[Maggot Brain]

Where was my manners? I intend to add a photo but got distracted.

Man those banana seat muscle bikes are amazing! I have always dreamed of owning a vintage Sting Ray and as a child I had banana seat bike from the second hand store. It was probably from the 70s as it was like a cross between a BMX and a Muscle bike... I looooved that bike! Then it was stolen and I was heart broken and bikeless for years and then I was blessed with a 2000 GT Mach One that I believe was also stolen in my late teens... Arg.. those bikes are worth a bit of money now too AND I would have LOVED to still have it.

This bike is a blast, sturdy and just feels so quality when ripping and whipping around. I got my bunny hop back, getting my manual and pedal manual down... Feels like I'm 15 again when I'm on this bike. I am already very bonded with it and love it to bits.

I traded a guitar for it, the guy was a tad eccentric I'd say, and he went back and fourth on his offer for a week before finally deciding to meet up and do the trade. I asked him several times in person if he was happy with the trade and he insisted he was (I had a bad feeling about this guy) we shook on it and went our merry ways. He's now insisting I return the bike after a week of failing to sell the guitar I traded him, which was more than a fair trade and honestly I got the short end of the stick monetarily but I loved the bike so I was cool with it.... people are so annoying.

 

[Maggot Brain]

Back pedal brakes!
God bless those things.

Coaster brakes! The best for skidding and power slides!